


Smashing Glass

by LuckyBreadLlamas



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Android Gavin, Angst, Anxiety, Comfort, Cuddling, Featuring two idiots crammed in a closet, Fluff, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, Gavin is hurting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, and a really simple case, android!gavin, but that’s not the main plot, oof, reverse au in a way, soft!Nines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-09-25 16:21:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyBreadLlamas/pseuds/LuckyBreadLlamas
Summary: Eyes widened in response to his partners words. He didn’t want to believe it. But how could he not? He feels the burning of the wounds, he feels more and more thirium on his clothes coming from those wounds. What the fuck is going on?‘I’m human’‘I’m human’‘I’m human’





	1. Smashed Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Literally my second fanfic, I’m always a slut for some android!Gavin. Thank you so much @eatmyflames for beta reading this and helping me stick with it.
> 
> If you spot any mistakes feel free to yell at me. <3

Each day brings more bullshit at work for him and Nines. Their latest case has reached a dead end which forced them back into the empty apartment where the investigation began. The windows were still shattered which let the harsh winter breeze in. 

“It’s fucking freezing in here” Gavin grumbled as he watched Nines scan the area.

Nines LED went yellow for a moment “Don’t complain detective, it was your idea to come back here.” His attention went to the android for a second before letting out a sigh, crossing his arms as pressed his back into the wall. 

“Guess you’re right... it’s just...” 

“Just like we’re missing something?” Nines interrupted, knowing his partner wasn’t used to such difficult cases. Gavin wasn’t great at dealing with his emotions at the best of times, something he and Nines had in common; having an android partner that can read your body language was useful sometimes especially when you don’t know how you feel yourself. 

They found themselves going through their usual routine at crimes scenes. Nines scanning scene then proceeding to update this partner in detail what happened while Gavin provided the odd input and theories from a human perspective. 

“This has moved since we’ve last been here. We aren’t safe Gavin” LED flicking yellow while he lifted up a glass shard which had been kicked across the floor. Could it have been the killer?

Before he had time to dwell on that thought, footsteps echoed throughout the empty apartment. Nines had already grabbed him by the shoulders forcing him to rebalance and keep up with android as he lead them to a small closet. They got in and shut the door behind them. Space is limited; Gavin is still staring at Nines who is currently keeping watch for the intruder through the small cracks in the door. 

Red. He can still sees red from Nines’ LED. Quickly, Gavin slammed his hand into the side of his partners head, effectively diminishing the glow. Nines jumped back at the contact as he was so focused on locating the intruder, who was rummaging around the other rooms of the house. Nines turned back towards Gavin with a look of shock and confusion. 

A shit eating grin came from Gavins face as he pointed up to his forehead, where an LED would sit if he was an android. How did plastic managed to forget about it.

Nines roller his eyes and took this moment to update Gavin with the situation. “There’s only one person, possibly came back for something.” 

“Something we missed?” 

“Most likely” 

The suspect was frantically searching throughout the other rooms in the apartment. The noise become louder and the threat becoming more evident. 

Nines staired back out into the main room, whispering in a deeper voice than usual “There is a chance the suspect is armed, I need a better view on the room before I can plan the next course of action” pushing the detective to the side and closet wall so he could get a clearer view. 

Gavin was about to mutter a slur at the android for pushing him. But before he could open his lips his foot slid on an flat object on the floor. Slipping and leaving his entire body weight being held by the android pressing him into the side. 

“Nines” he grunted as he attempted to struggle out of his partners grip by using the hand still on Nines LED to push back on him and dig his nails into his partners head. Just as he got enough space to be able to breath better he gasped. Looking down he saw a wallet. “Somethings on the floor dipshit” 

“So?” 

“So?” Gavin began, scrambling out of the grip and leant down towards the floor to the wallet, grasping it. “So what if it’s what he’s looking for” 

“Detective, I highly doubt that” 

The wallet was waved in front of Nines face as Gavin stuck out his tongue. Rolling his eyes, Nines realised the intruder was about to enter the room. 

“They’re heading this way,,”

“Shit” Gavin whispered as he opened up the wallet. “Shit, shit, shit. We are fucking idiots”  
Removing the ID from the wallet, he waved it to Nines who looked dumbfounded. How could they have fucking missed a clue like that? They already knew the victim stole something from the killer but they didn’t have any idea what. Apparently it was his fucking wallet. With his ID and with receipts as proof of his involvement with dealing red ice.

The guy matching the ID stormed into the room they were hiding in. They didn’t need to risk fighting now, they had all the evidence they needed to bring this guy in. Just lay low and wait for the man to leave.

Gavin relaxed as finally understood that the didn’t need to confront the man straight away, they could go about it the “smart” way as Nines would say. He’d never really been in any dangerous situations before with his job, thank fuck. And he’d really like to keep it that way as long as the intruder didn’t find them it would be fine. He allowed himself to sag back and close his eyes, coaxing himself into a sense of security as red light seeped in through his eyelids, Red? 

Fuck, his eyes bolted open. When he searched the wallet he took his hand away from Nines. Swinging round he slapped his hand onto the LED again and pulled the android back, using the shock as an advantage. 

Footsteps outside became louder as a figure could be seen standing in front of the door. 

Things began to happen very quickly, Nines pulled Gavin behind him as the door swung open. Leaping forward, Nines took the gun out of the mans hand and threw it to the side. Effortlessly, he grabbed the intruders shoulder and pushed him into the nearest wall with both his hands. Right, he’d forgot Nines was the fucking terminator. 

Gavin joined Nines outside of closet,wallet still in hand. “Looks like we found what we need, Nines cuff him.” He taunted. 

Whilst Nines took one arm off the man to retrieve his cuffs, he was suddenly pushed back to the side and into the closet again, Before Nines had time to execute a response, the perpetrator had locked the door. Gavin had no time to think about what was happening, the criminal bolted from the room. He knew that if he took the time to help Nines they would lose the suspect, making months of hard work pointless. So he started to go after the perp. 

“Don’t bother detective, he’s an android! You can’t catch him” He heard Nines muffled call as he attempted to kick open the door.

It wasn’t taking Nines long to break down the door, but surprisingly it was long enough for Gavin catch up and grab hold of the android. 

Nines didn’t hesitate to run after his partner, knowing he wouldn’t last long against the android. However, he reached them just in time to see that Gavin had been slung backwards into the pile of glass, he hissed at the contact. Without sparing Gavin a glance, the android intruder fled at the sight of the RK unit. Nines was about to follow when something caught his eye.

“What are you waiting for? And invitation? Go get him!” Gavin was panting as he pulled himself up off the jagged glass. Looking down at the blood on his hands “Bastard won’t get far, I roughed him up.” hands now shaking. 

Nines replayed what happened in his head. Gavin had caught up with the android, attacked him from behind and then was push down onto the glass leftover from the crime scene. The android intruder had no signs of injuries when he fled, so where was the thirum coming from? His yellow LED reflected his confusion.

“Gavin are you ok?”

“Why are you still here!” Nines was shocked,  
by the sudden outburst but nevertheless he took a small step towards his partner, led now a mix or orange and red. Nines knew he was going against his mission by not following the criminal, but seeing the fear in his partners eyes stopped him. The detective pulled himself up and broke his gaze from Nines, to look down at the blood. His blood? 

“Let me see” 

“See what?” Gavin snapped. 

“You’re injury’s” 

“No need, glass didn’t break the skin smartass, otherwise there’d be blood everywhere” Chuckling, he looked back down at his hands. Odd, why is there more blue blood than before? 

“Gavin” Nines LED glitched from orange to red as he tried to process what was happening, “Just let me see, please” he begged.

He couldn’t reply, he couldn’t. Holding his arms out weakly to his partner as Nines kneeled in-front of him. Taking his hands and observing the woundsz  
What was the big deal? Gavin was covered in android blood, so it’s not like he’s actually injured. Stupid android must be confused. It’s not his blood. It’s not his blood. It’s not his blood. 

“Does it hurt?” Nines inquires gently as traces his fingers over Gavins. He nodded and pulled his hands back to his chest, pressing them in.

“I... it... it shouldn’t hurt.” but it did. It burns. Gasping, he lifted his head to meet Nines, eyes full of pain. “I thought... fuck” 

“That androids couldn’t feel pain?” 

Eyes widened in response to his partners words. He didn’t want to believe it. But how could he not? He feels the burning of the wounds, he feels more and more thirium on his clothes coming from those wounds. What the fuck is going on?  
‘I’m human’  
‘I’m human’  
‘I’m human’  
The only thought that Gavin could cling to was flying around his head like a broken record. All rational thoughts were gone. Was his whole life a lie? How could he not be human? He has parents, he remembers his childhood, he remembers growing up, the name of his first girlfriend, when he lost his virginity, graduating high school, human things. 

Startled, Gavin lunges upwards in a sudden spree of denial.

“Gavin?” Nines voice pulled him out of his thoughts.  
Gavin could see the pity in his eyes. But no, it wasn’t quite pity, it was understanding, concern and something else he couldn’t quite place the LED on his forehead had settled on red. It was in that moment he knew. Everything he knew was a lie.  
How the fuck could this happen to him?

“Gavin” Nines sighed as Warm arms embraced him. It ripped hit out of his thoughts again. His legs became weak and he began to sink to the floor, tears were starting to stream down his face as he pressed it into Nines shoulder. His partners arms holding him as he sobbed.

He should probably feel ashamed that he was clinging onto Nines like he was the only thing in the world that mattered. His lifeline as his tears were soaking through onto his partners jacket, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care. It was all too much. His bloody hands became just a dull ache. Nines hands in his hair also helped to sooth his pain. 

After a while Gavin stopped crying, but Nines didn’t let go. He just held his partner like that for a while, still stroking his hair. It could have been an hour, it could have been minutes but he finally spoke.

“Can you give me your hands again?” Gavin nodded through the embrace, feeling the tears he’d shed into his partners jacket. He felt ashamed that he’d treated nines so bad in the beginning. Tears started to swell in his eyes again but something stopped them. Again it was his fucking partner Nines, the insufferable bastard that was now stroking his hands, bringing them forward and wrapping them in bandages. The Nines that just kissed his bandaged hands. 

“We should go Gavin” Shit had never been so fucking thankful for Nines. Everything was too much for him but his partner seemed to know exactly what he needed to do and say to keep Gavins stress levels manageable as he took him back to his apartment. 

The ride back was very quiet however it was oddly comforting. The heater in his car rattled, creating a calming white noise. The detective was curled in on himself and was staring at the streets as they passed by, observing the shadows grow as the sun began to set. A warm glow entranced Gavin when he turned towards Nines, who’s attention was mostly on the road but occasionally glanced in the mans direction and offering him one of his adorable smiles. His LED only turned blue when Gavin offered a weak smile in response.

When they arrived at the apartment the sun was fully set and the street lamps illuminated the area.

When they were inside the apartment, Gavin let out a sigh, a few unsteady breaths followed after. 

“Nines, I think I need to sleep.” The man spoke whilst starring at the floor, hands fidgeting on the bandages. “Wait, shit do I even need to sleep?” 

“I don’t know Gavin you seem to be different” 

“Different” he scoffed “how so?” 

“I... I should have been able to tell, to scan your body temperature. To notice patterns in your speech. You should not even be able to eat yet I’ve seen you eat an entire Big Mac in 5 seconds flat” Gavin chuckled at this despite the pain hanging heavy in his chest. 

Sensing Gavins discomfort that the topic, he approached the smaller man. Nines took his arms, careful to miss his wounds, and lead him into the bedroom. 

When they were by the bed, Gavin made no effort to move he just stood looking defeated. What everything a lie? Would he ever know what parts of his life were real and which were fake? 

“Nines...” he spoke weakly as Nines helped him into his soft pjs. “Is everything a lie, are my memories fake? Am I fake? Is my personality just programming? Why am I alive!” 

Everything spilled from his mouth, his doubts, his feelings, his uncertainty and confusion. A silence fell between them both as Gavin was ushered in the bed. 

Kneeling by his side and bending down so their faces were level, Nines finally spoke, 

“I...” he paused, trying to find the words, “I can’t imagine finding out such a huge part of yourself is not real. But that doesn’t mean you’re fake. You life is not a lie, Gavin. You are alive. You have accomplished so much in the time I’ve known you, I’ve seen you grow into someone I admire” 

“But how do you know I actually accomplished anything!” 

Tears began to fall from his face again. It hurt, everything hurt. He just wanted to curl up into a ball and have the world swallow him. Warm hands were suddenly tracing his face, soothing the pain.

“I’ve only known you for three months but in that time I’ve seen you grow. Nothing before that could have been real and that wouldn’t matter. You have come so far as a detective and as a person, I’m so proud of you” 

A delicate hand continued to trace his face while another stroked his hair. Gavin was beginning to crave more closeness, Nines wasn’t lying, despite not knowing what’s real and what isn’t, he couldn’t care about it at this moment. Nines was real, is real. and his relationship with him is strong, strong enough to drown out the noise of his thoughts. 

“Please Nines, please don’t leave” 

“I’ll be here as long as you want me” 

Smiling down at the man in the bed, Nines pulled back the cover slightly and settled next to Gavin, who shuffled closer and pressed his face into Nines chest. Arms wrapped around him. Reminding him of what’s real. 

Don’t focus on anything other than Nines. Everything else could wait. It had to.


	2. Picking up The Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idk what to say about this chapter. I just wanted more hurt/comfort tbh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to write more but got stuck. Let me know if you want me to write more chapters I’m enjoying this AU! I love you all! Yeet!

Light seeping through the curtains was the first thing Gavin noticed when he opened his eyes. It glowed all around the apartment reminding him of the night before. Panic swelled in his chest, the next thing he noticed was the warm presence around him. Nines. His arms wrapped around his body, pressing Gavin into his chest, soothing some of the anxiety in his chest.

Shuffling back slowly, Gavin gently moved his head back onto the pillows so he could get a better look at the android ‘sleeping’ peacefully next to him. He looked beautiful, and the morning light shining across his face made him appear angelic. 

Gavin started to trace his hands over his face and hair, carefully touching him, as if he were afraid this were a dream and Nines would suddenly leave him. His thoughts started to drift back to the first time he met Nines, how he felt when he first saw him sitting at the desk opposite. The anger that boiled within him was quickly replaced with confusion as the android was always bringing a Gavin coffee despite the sour attitude Gavin had towards him. Eventually he found it within himself to accept his new work buddy and quickly fell for him. It wasn’t anything to do with androids, not anymore. Initially he just didn’t want a partner at all as he preferred to do things his way. Didn’t need somebody to watch his back. It definitely wasn’t because he couldn’t face the idea of his partner leaving him when they would inevitably get sick of him. Come to think of it? Why hasn’t Nines left him yet? 

Nines started to stir and moved down to press his face into Gavins neck.

“Good morning” 

Gavin hummed in response, hands still in the androids hair. 

Nines sighed and leaned into the touched. Eventually he reached up and took gavins hands in his own, bringing them down so he could take a look. The bandage around the palms of Gavins hands were still there, a reminder to them both of the night before. 

“Feeling better?”

“I guess” Gavin mumbled,

“Do you mind if I take another look” Gavin felt the bandages being lightly traced. He made eye contact with Nines, lightly nodding his head.

Strong arms lifted him up so they were both sitting upright, facing each other. Nines took Gavins hands again and began to unwrap the wound. He was carefully watching the other androids face as the bandage slid of the hands and was discarded on the bedside table. Gavins face didn’t show much emotion although he still looked exhausted. 

Luckily, Gavins model was developed to self heal, leaving only scars. That’s peculiar? Nines thought as he examined the hands further. Gavin didn’t scar like a typical android would, he didn’t appear to have fake skin that he could deactivate, his skin appeared to be purposefully part of his design, did that mean he also couldn’t interface like a normal android? Why would somebody designed him this way? That’s very odd.

“It’s healed very nicely” he spoke softly, “However, you should probably take a shower, it will make you feel better. I promise” 

“I guess”

The taller android started to move off the bed when a hand caught his own. Confusion spread throughout his system. He looked back at Gavin on the bed. 

“Nines, why are you still here?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Why haven’t you left me? You know how much of an asshole I am. How much of an dick I was towards androids! But... but. You’re still here? Why?”

Nines reached forward and took Gavins face into his hands. “Because, I love you Gavin. For who you are, you have learnt and you have grown, so much” he lifted Gavins head and pressed a kiss to his head, “I’m proud of you and I know that together we will get through this. I’ll do everything in my power to help you”

Gavin was stunned. He hadn’t seen it like that, too caught up in his own self loathing and despair.

“That’s so” Gavin stuttered “Nines thats” he was stunned. Words got stuck in his mouth. Quickly deciding his broken words wouldn’t be enough. He leant the rest of the way to kiss Nines, slow and tenderly. They broke away some time after.

“Now, lets get you a shower”


End file.
